Van Horn cruises in KC Cup opener

The Van Horn boys soccer team started strong in the Kansas City Cup tournament to keep the season’s strong start going.

Favian Valenzuela scored a hat trick and Luis Mejia added two goals and two assists as the state-ranked Falcons dominated St. Joseph Lafayette for an 8-0 win Tuesday at Van Horn High School.

“It was pretty much one-sided,” Van Horn coach Jesus Rodriguez said after his team outshot the Fighting Irish 20-1. “I was content. We could have put them away in the first half but we missed on a few shots. But overall we played well.”

Mejia put the Falcons (6-0) ahead just 1 1/2 minutes in on an assist from Raynalso Jean-Pierre. Valenzuela then headed a corner kick from Mejia in a minute later and then scored on another Mejia assist to make it 3-0.

Early goals by Allen and Mitch Petersen allowed the Broncos to take control early and advance to today’s semifinals.

After Wyandotte cut the lead to 2-1 by halftime, Larsen scored in the 43rd minute to extend the lead to two. Larsen scored again just minutes later and Duncan Crosby, Cameron Brennon and Devin DeRousse finished off the scoring for the Broncos (6-1), who meet Olathe (Kan.) South or Blue Valley (Kan.) at 5 p.m. today in a semifinal.